ADELAIDE, Australia (CT) – Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) has won an entertaining third stage of the 2016 Santos Tour Down Under, propelling himself into the overall lead in the process.
Gerrans was part of a 10-rider lead group that came to the finish together after forming on the short descent from the top of the Corkscrew Road climb, less than 3km from the finish.
Gerrans started his sprint from near the back of the small group but managed to overhaul Rohan Dennis (BMC) on the line. Cannondale’s 29-year-old neo-pro Michael Woods (Cannondale) finished third.
“I come from quite a ways back,” Gerrans said. “I knew it was going to be a fast finish but everyone was pretty hammered after getting over the Corkscrew.
“[I’m] really thrilled to be able to win it, even by the narrowest of margins.”
Earlier in the stage, on the approach to the final climb, a crash in the peloton saw Gerrans and his Orica-GreenEdge teammates split from the back of the bunch. Gerrans was able to make up ground on the fast Gorge Road descent, however, and started the Corkscrew Road climb in perfect position.
“It was hectic — it was really scary going down there,” Gerrans said of the Gorge Road descent. “I had some great support … Daryl Impey and Mat Hayman and Michael Albasini were all right there in the final for me and they placed me perfectly to give me the best opportunity on the Corkscrew.”
Gerrans’ win is his first individual success since September 2014 and comes after a 2015 season that was plagued by a string of crashes and injuries. It also comes a day after crashing out of stage 2 of the Tour Down Under, just 500 metres from the finish.
“The guys worked so hard for me yesterday and they really laid it on the line and gave me every opportunity,” Gerrans said. “[To] just have a mishap so close to the finish when I was feeling so good was bitterly disappointing for myself and the entire team.
“So to come away 24 hours later with a win and now the lead — I think everyone will be really happy tonight.”
The 10-second time bonus that comes with today’s stage win sees Gerrans take the ochre leader’s jersey from stage 2 winner Jay McCarthy (Tinkoff). McCarthy now sits second on GC, three seconds behind Gerrans, while defending champion Rohan Dennis (BMC) is lurking in third, a further two seconds down on McCarthy.
HOW IT UNFOLDED
Stage 3 of the 2016 Tour Down Under began in the seaside suburb of Glenelg with 137 riders rolling across the startline. After heading south the race would swing north east into the Adelaide Hills, bound for Campbelltown via the short but imposing Corkscrew Road climb in the final 10km.
With UniSA-Australia focusing on the final climb rather than a breakaway, it was Astana’s Laurens De Vreese that made the first move of the day, attacking in the opening kilometre. The Tinkoff team of race leader Jay McCarthy took to the front of the peloton as De Vreese’s lead reached 3:00 after just 6km but then stabilised at around 2:30.
Santos Tour Down Under - Thomas Foods Stage 3 Glenelg to Campbelltown - 139km Gerrans snatches race lead with scorching sprint
Simon Gerrans has snatched the race lead from fellow Australian Jay McCarthy with a scorching sprint into Campbelltown to win the Thomas Foods Stage 3 of the Santos Tour Down Under.
Gerrans, a three time winner of the race, led a select group of ten riders across the finish line, half a wheel in front of defending champion Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) with Canadian Michael Woods (Cannondale) third.
The beachside suburb of Glenelg hosted the start of today’s Thomas Foods Stage 3 that took the race through the Fleurieu Peninsula and the Adelaide Hills with the highlight of the action coming on the infamous Corkscrew Road climb that led to a super fast descending final 5.7 kilometres of the stage.
“It was super tough going up to Corkscrew,” said Gerrans after his win.”There are obviously some good climbers in the race and I had to dig deep to stay up there.
“I just came back over the top to the guys in front of me to catch the escapees right at the beginning of the descent,” said Gerrans who yesterday was one of the riders who crashed inside a kilometre from the line after riding a near perfect stage to that point.
Today his Orica GreenEdge team mates again did their job to protect him and set him up for the climb.
“I was in a really good position coming into Corkscrew and thanks to them I got this great result,” he said. “I’m just happy to get the win at the end.”
Overnight leader, McCarthy (Tinkoff), finished fourth, just outside the placings and the time bonuses, which means he now sits three seconds behind Gerrans while Dennis is ranked third at five seconds.
The flag to start the race proper was still moving when Belgian Laurens De Vreese (Astana) launched an attack from the bunch setting himself up for a long, hot, lonely day at the front of the race that today attracted 115 thousand spectators.
He set up a handy lead and was first across the line at the iiNet intermediate sprint at McLaren Flat, 34 kilometres into the stage. The main field upped the pace as headed to the sprint with the favourites keen to grab one of the minor placings and a time bonus.
Movistar’s Juan Lobato del Valle was too quick for McCarthy who claimed a one second bonus for his third place on the line. Gerrans also tried his luck.
“We tried to go for the first intermediate sprint but I didn't have the legs,” said Gerrans. “I was a bit stiff from the crash yesterday so I wasn't able to score any points or any seconds in the first sprint.”
De Vreese’s lead, that had come down at the sprint, stretched again after the line and at one stage topped four minutes.
That meant he also collected the second iiNet sprint of the day at Oakbank at 95km while back in the bunch Tinkoff was setting up McCarthy for another burst. This time however, Orica GreenEdge was in the mix to try and stymie McCarthy’s bid for another time bonus.
Ewan outsprinted McCarthy who had to settle for another one second bonus. Gerrans didn’t contest the second intermediate iiNet sprint choosing to rest his legs for the final assault.
As the race headed into the final 20 kilometres De Vreese’s day in the spotlight was over and he was unceremoniously caught, passed and dropped. He did however earn the Alpecin Most Competitive Rider award for his efforts.
“It’s better to go on the attack than do nothing,” said De Vreese. “I tried to have somebody coming up the road with me but someone has to be first to attack.
“It was me and I was alone so it was a long day for me but it became a good training and I’m very happy to get the trophy for the most competitive rider.”
The pace was relentless as the teams of the main contenders worked to position their men at the front for the category one Subaru King of the Mountain climb up Corkscrew Road.
A small group of riders crashed before the climb causing a split in the peloton and leaving anyone not in the front group with no chance of regaining the leaders.
On the climb Colombian Sergio Henao (Team SKY) led Woods over the top after the pair broke clear. Italian Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) was next under the banner with Richie Porte (BMC Racing) and Simon Gerrans the next to crest the hill.
“You’re always thinking about the victory,” said Henao. “If the climb was steeper or longer, I am sure I could have gotten away. We could see the group coming back, so it was important to be there with the leaders.
“I had a good winter training in Colombia, and came here with good condition, he said. “The team is working well, and we will see at Willunga Hill (Saturday). I will try to take the victory there.”
A group of ten riders formed at the front and flew down the descent before making the sharp right hand turn onto the finishing straight to battle for stage honours.
McCarthy was disappointed to relinquish his lead but remains a threat for overall honours.
“Definitely it would have been nice to keep the jersey but in the long picture, I know how much the boys had to work hard,” said McCarthy. “They did a great job today.
“I’m gonna keep going for it as hard as I can,” said McCarthy who still leads the Europcar Young Rider classification. “It’s all new to me to be going for the overall classification at this level but I’ve done it before as an under 23 and at the Tour of Turkey so I know how to handle the pressure.
“If my legs can do it, I’ll be able to do it,” said McCarthy.
McCarthy says being out of the lead will ease the pressure on his Tinkoff team mates who will not have to defend the jersey in tomorrow’s Bupa Stage 4 where crosswinds are expected to create challenging conditions.
Third places Woods was thrilled to be in thick of the action today.
“I spoke with my sport director before coming here, and he said do not put limits on yourself,” said Woods. “I was feeling good on the climb, and had the self-confidence to keep going.
“I’ve always watched the Tour Down Under on TV, and heard Phil Liggett calling the races, and now I am doing it myself. It’s like a dream come true.”
Santos Tour Down Under Classification Leaders after Thomas Foods Stage 3 Santos Ochre Leader’s Jersey - Simon Gerrans (Orica GreenEdge) iiNet Sprint Jersey - Jay McCarthy (Tinkoff) Subaru King of the Mountain Jersey - Sergio Luis Henao (Team SKY) Europcar Young Rider Jersey - Jay McCarthy (Tinkoff) Alpecin Most Competitive Rider - Laurens De Vreese (Astana) Wilson Parking Winning Team Competition - Cannondale Pro Cycling Please download the official start lists for the Santos Tour Down Under from the link below.
During the event you can access live results via Matsport who is our official results provider. We will email official results when they are issued.
Download Official Results Thomas Foods Stage 3
Pool Images
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Photo credit: Santos Tour Down Under / Regallo
A small crash after 22km saw Rohan Dennis (BMC) hit the ground (among others) but after a bike change the defending champion was back in the bunch, doctors clearing him of any injury.
De Vreese took out the first intermediate sprint after 33.8km as Juan Jose Lobato (Movistar) took second place and race leader Jay McCarthy took third, beating Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) in the sprint for one bonus second.
Tinkoff continued to ride the front of the peloton, controlling the race for McCarthy, as De Vreese’s lead fluctuated at between 1:20 and 3:10 over the next 60km. With 89km of racing complete and 50km to go, the Belgian’s lead was 2:30 but it would blow out to four minutes over the next few kilometres.
De Vreese again took the maximum prize at the second intermediate sprint, 43.8km from the finish, while back in the bunch Tinkoff and Orica-GreenEdge were lining up to secure the remaining bonus seconds. Caleb Ewan took second in the red sprinter’s jersey, while Jay McCarthy was again third, claiming another bonus second.
After a brief rest back in the bunch, the Tinkoff riders returned to the front of the peloton with 33km remaining and with De Vreese’s lead sitting at 3:35. When the race reached Lobethal and the start of the mostly downhill run to the base of Corkscrew Road, a sense of urgency came over the peloton.
Teams started lining up at the front, trying to ensure a good position on approach to the steep climb. The increased tempo saw De Vreese’s lead slashed to 2:30 with 28km to go and 1:30 with 25km to go. He was caught 21.4km from the finish with IAM driving the pace at the front of the peloton.
The Gorge Road descent was frenetic with the peloton reportedly topping 100km/h on several occasions. A crash with 19km to go saw a handful of riders hit the ground, including Julian Arredondo (Trek-Segafredo), Koen de Kort (Giant-Alpecin), Marcus Burghardt (BMC) and Tyler Farrar (Dimension Data). A scuffed up Farrar would go on to ride to the finish on a bike borrowed from a spectator.
The crash split the peloton with Simon Gerrans and his Orica-GreenEdge teammates caught behind as Tinkoff again rode the front. The bunch was back together with 17km to go, however, as the peloton continued the serpentine descent.
Team Sky made its presence felt on the front but when the bunch turned onto Corkscrew Road, with 9.5km to go, it was Tinkoff that was again in control with Jay McCarthy sitting in third wheel.
LottoNL-Jumbo rode the front on the lower slopes of the climb before McCarthy attacked, drawing a response from Gerrans. Richie Porte was the next to attack and while he wasn’t able to get clear, the Tasmanian helped to further split the peloton.
As the climb flattened out towards the top, Michael Woods attacked from a dramatically thinned-out lead group, taking Sergio Henao (Sky) with him. The pair powered over the top of the climb, 5.7km from the finish, with a handful of seconds over a chase group containing Gerrans, McCarthy, Porte, Dennis and several others.
Woods and Henao would be caught with 2.5km still to race, the eight-rider chase group having made up ground on the fast, flowing descent of Montacute Road — the site of Cadel Evans’ famous descent of two years ago.
The 10-rider lead group hit the final corner together, with 300m to go, before Ruben Fernandez (Movistar) launched the first sprint. Rohan Dennis followed while Gerrans and Woods made their move from well back in the group.
In the end it was the staying power of Gerrans that allowed him to overhaul Dennis just before the line, winning the stage with a bike throw.
Photo credit: Santos Tour Down Under / Regallo
THE RACE AHEAD
The Tour Down Under continues tomorrow with a 138km stage from Norwood to Victor Harbor. Despite a short climb roughly 20km from the finish, the stage will likely end in a bunch sprint.
Gerrans will wear the ochre jersey and might again be tempted by the prospect of taking bonus seconds at the intermediate sprints. Jay McCarthy will wear the red jersey of points classification leader, Sergio Henao will wear the polka dots of KOM leader, and Ruben Fernandez will wear the green best young rider’s jersey in lieu of leader McCarthy.
Cover photo credit: Santos Tour Down Under / Regallo
This article was originally published on cyclingtips.com
